(Minneapolis) – Out of work, addicted, defeated. These are just some of the conditions that led hundreds of people to a homeless encampment along Franklin and Hiawatha avenues in south Minneapolis during the second half of 2018. But why did they end up there?

The stories of the people who once lived in those tents along a busy highway are now being told in the soon-to-be-released documentary, “The Wall: The Stories of the 2018 Minneapolis Homeless Camp.” Filmed and produced by independent journalist Brandon Ferdig of St. Louis Park, Minn., the documentary is set for release on Sun., May 19, 2019.

A special 4 p.m. screening of “The Wall: The Stories of the 2018 Minneapolis Homeless Camp” presented in partnership with MSP Film Society, is planned at MSP Film Society’s St. Anthony Main Theatre, located at 115 SE Main Street in Minneapolis.

For his film, Ferdig spent several months capturing the happenings at the camp, the stories of the people living there, and their eventual transition to The Navigation Center, a low barrier 24/7 access shelter designed for people living in the Franklin Hiawatha encampment. It opened on Dec. 11, 2018.

“I want people to have an encompassing look at what was one of Minnesota’s biggest stories of 2018, and to also deepen their understanding of those who found themselves at this camp,” said Ferdig, whose next project will be a more issue-based analysis of homelessness in America.

About Brandon Ferdig
Brandon Ferdig grew up on a 30-acre homestead in Blackduck, Minnesota, a small town near Bemidji. His father was an auto mechanic. His mother raised the five kids and helped with the family business. A high school psychology class influenced him to major in psychology at the U of MN, after which he settled into independent journalism. Ferdig has since had his human-interest pieces featured in the Star Tribune, authored a book about his year in China, and now has a popular YouTube channel featuring stories and interviews from around the U.S. and beyond.

To learn more about Brandon Ferdig and his work, go to www.theperiphery.com. He is open to new opportunities for writing, interviewing, speaking and traveling.

About MSP Film Society

Founded in 1962, The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul is Minnesota’s foremost film exhibition organization, and a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The Film Society is best known for the annual centerpiece, the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF). Presented every April, MSPIFF is the largest international arts event in the region, exhibiting more than 250+ films from some 70 countries each year and drawing growing audiences of nearly 50,000 in 2016.
For information on Film Society Programming, please visit Mspfilm.org.